Eye-shade.



No.'734-,270. v j PATENTED JULY 21,1903.

0. B. LESTER.

EYE SHADE.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 1,1900.

N0 MODEL.

Gun/{M09000 6 I gwuemtoz v Wm we mama pawns co mom umo msnmu'cu u c UNITED STATES Patented July 21, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ORLANDO B. LESTER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM F. MAHONY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

EYE-SHADE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 734,270, dated July 21, 1963.

Application filed December 1, 1900. Serial No. 38,303 (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORLANDO B. LESTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of WVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Eye- Shade, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to eye-shades, and more particularly to eye-shades worn on the head for protecting the eyes from the glare of either natural or artificial light, and has for one of its objects to provide an eye-shade of such lightness that its use will not be a cause of irritation to the wearer nor cause the head to ache.

Another object of my invention is to provide an eye-shade of such simple and economical construction that it may be sold at a price low enough to bring its use within the reach of school-children, students, and readers generally, as well as artisans and. others engaged in occupations trying to the eyes.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an eye shadewhich may be readily z 5 and quickly placed in position for use by any person and which may be instantly removed and yet will remain in position when so placed.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an eye shade which when removed 0 from the users head will readily assume a form that will not require constant care to prevent it from being crushed or injured, which may be rolled 'up and carried in the hand or pocket, sent through the mails, or

3 5 placed between the leaves of a ledger or other book without being injured.

Heretofore in any of the eyeshades that have been provided have been cumbersome and oppressive when in use, thereby causing the 40 head of the wearer to ache when Worn for any considerable length of ime, have required time and skill to place them on the head, have been expensive to manufacture, and of such form that when not in use they are liable to 5 be crushed out of shape and seriously if not permanently injured.

1 accomplish the objects of my invention in the manner and by the means hereinafter fully described in detail, reference being had to the drawings accompanying this specification, in which the same letters indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved eyeshade when not in use; Fig. 2, a side View when in use; Fig. 3, a plan view of one of the 5 5 horns or arms of the shade; and Fig. 4, a plan view of one end of the strap or band of the shade, each of the views showing details of the construction of these parts. Fig. 5 isa side view of one end of the weighted fasten- 6c ers used to pivotally connect the end of the strap to the end of a horn or arm of the shade.

In carrying out my invention I provide a crescent-shaped vizor A, formed or out from a plane sheet'of fibrous or plastic material of uniform flexibility and elasticity and having short or truncated horns or arms of equal length and diameter formed integral therewith, provided with apertures b 1) near their outer extremities to receive the weighted fasteners C C to pivotally attach thereto the end of a band or strap 1), provided with apertures d d, and also to deflect the horns for the purpose presently stated. The strap D is formed of thin flexible .and elastic material of the same kind and thickness as the vizor A and extends directly from one horn to the other when in its normal shape, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The strap D'is pivotally attached to the upper face of the horns at each of their ends, respectively, and the apertures dd through the strap are of elongated form to per= mit of free movement of the ends of the strap and the ends of the horn, respectively, when the fasteners C0 are in position in the apertures of the respective parts, and the operation of each of the pivotal connections is the same.

The fasteners C C are provided with rela tively broad bases adapted to rest against the side of the head when the shade is in use and forming a suitable support. The end of the fastener projecting outwardly may be provided with a head or cap of less diameter than indicated in the drawings. The term weighted is applied to the fasteners by reason of the fact that they are made heavier than is necessary for the mere pivotal connection to depress the ends of the horns or arms B B when the shade is being lifted by grasp- I00 ing the vizor toward its outer extremity between the thumb and fingers and lifting it in a horizontal plane or position. \Vhen the vizor is so held,the horns thereof are deflected downward by weight of the fasteners and toward each other at their extremities, and at the same time they flare or turn their outer sides down the ends of the strap D are drawn toward each other causing the strap to assume a curved form and fall away from the direction of the vizor, and the shade takes a form shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and is then ready to be placed in positionfor use on the head. The extreme ends of the horns when so flared provide fulcrums against which the under side of the strap D rests back of its pivotal point of attachment to the horns, the cap of the weighted fasteners providing the point of resistance of the end of the strap, thereby bringing the strap in its curved form to a rest in a horizontal plane and relatively on a line with the plane of the vizor. It will be understood that the curved form the strap has assumed by reason of its elastic resistance exerts a tension against the outer sides or ends of the horns, which with its weight bearing upon the flared horns brings it to a rest.

It will be understood from the foregoing description of my improved eye-shade that it is so constructed to automatically open out and assume the proper form for placing it upon the head for use by lifting it in the act of so placing it and automatically resumes its normal shape by laying it down when taken off the head. It is lifted up with one hand and placed upon the head in a manner similar to putting on a hat.

When the shade is placed upon the head for use the flat side of the strap lies against the head in its entire length to near the point it overlaps the extremity of the horns, while the inner edge or line of the horns and vizor rests against the head and readily conforms to the outline thereof, with the vizor downwardly and outwardly inclined, providing a complete and desirable shade for the eyes. The construction of the shade is such that it may be placed at any height above the eyes between the latter and the apex of the forehead desired. If it is desired to shade only one eye or to shade one eye more than the other, the shade is placed so that all or part of the vizor projects over the eye it is desired to shade. \Vith many of the eye-shades that have been provided this preference cannot be given to one of the eyes, it being necessary for a proper support of the shade that it be placed equally over both eyes.

My improved eye-shade is in little or no danger of being crushed or injured when not in use by reason of its flat form, and it may be placed between the pages of a book, placed upon the top or in the drawer of a desk with but little danger of being injured. Its con- 'struct-ion, flexibility, and elasticity are such that it can be packed in quantitiesin a small compass for shipment or be rolled up for transmission through the mails.

I prefer to construct my shades of thin sheets of translucent celluloid and of a color restful. to the eye; but I do not limit myself to this or any one kind ofv material. I find in practicing my invention that a shade constructed of suitable material and for the head of an adult person weighs but half an ounce avoirdupois and that it is practical to make such size of still lighter weight. In carrying out my invention I provide a shade for large or small heads by correspondingly varying its dimensions or by varying the length of the horns I) B, or I may form the horns farther apart for large sizes and closer together for the small, the length of the strap corresponding thereto.

The pivotal fasteners O C may be formed of bone, metal, or any suitable plastic material of sufficient strength and weight depending on the degree of flexibility and elasticity of the material of which the shade is made and the dimensions of the parts thereof.

The complete shade and the manner it rests against the head are scarcely perceptible to the wearer, and I therefore prefer to construct my improved eye-shade in the simple manner shown and described.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. An eye-shade consisting of a crescentshaped vizor having truncated horns, a strap for supporting the shade upon the head, pivotally attached to each of its ends to the ends of said horns transversely thereof, and the means for pivotally attaching said strap to said horns weighted for deflecting said horns and curving said strap, substantially as shown and described.

2. An eye shade consisting of a crescentshaped vizor having horns, a strap for supporting the shade upon the head, pivotally attached at each of its ends to the ends of said horns transversely thereof, and means for deflecting said horns downwardly and toward each other and curving said strap and throwing it in position to support said shade, substantially as shown and described.

3. An eye-shade consisting of a crescentshaped vizor having truncated horns, a strap supporting the shade upon the head,-pivotally attached at each of its ends to the ends of said horns transversely thereof with weighted fasteners for deflecting said horns downwardly and toward each other to curve said strap and throwing it in position to support said shade upon the head when it is lifted to place it thereon, substantially as shown and described.

ORLANDO B. LESTER.

\Vitnesses:

ALLEN WRIGHT, A. M. SALMON. 

